Yoon Suk Yeol facts for kids

Quick facts for kids His Excellency Yoon Suk Yeol
윤석열
Official portrait, 2022
13th President of South Korea
In office 10 May 2022 – 4 April 2025
Prime Minister	Choo Kyung-ho (acting) Han Duck-soo Choi Sang-mok (acting)
Preceded by	Moon Jae-in
Succeeded by	Han Duck-soo (acting) Lee Jae Myung
Prosecutor General of South Korea
In office 25 July 2019 – 4 March 2021
President	Moon Jae-in
Preceded by	Mun Mu-il
Succeeded by	Kim Oh-soo
Personal details
Born	(1960-12-18) 18 December 1960 (age 64) Seoul, South Korea
Political party	Independent (before 2021; since 2025)
Other political affiliations	Chungam Faction (since 2022) People Power (2021–2025)
Spouse	Kim Keon Hee ​ (m. 2012)​
Parent	Yoon Ki-jung (father)
Education	Chungam High School Seoul National University (LLB, LLM)
Profession	Lawyer
Signature
Nickname	Gyong (굥)
Korean name
Hangul	윤석열
Hanja	尹錫悅
RR	Yun Seokyeol
MR	Yun Sŏgyŏl
IPA	[jun sʰʌŋnjʌɭ]

Yoon Suk Yeol (born 18 December 1960) is a South Korean politician and former prosecutor. He served as the 13th president of South Korea from 2022 until he was removed from office in April 2025. He was a member of the People Power Party during his time as president. Before becoming president, he was the prosecutor general of South Korea from 2019 to 2021.

Yoon was born in Seoul and studied law at Seoul National University. As a prosecutor, he was known for investigating corruption. He played a key role in cases against former presidents Park Geun-hye and Lee Myung-bak. In 2019, President Moon Jae-in appointed him as Prosecutor General. Yoon's investigations often led to disagreements with the Moon administration. These disagreements helped him become a well-known figure among conservative voters.

In June 2021, Yoon announced he would run for president. He joined the People Power Party and won its nomination. He promised to reduce government rules for businesses and change the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family. He won the election on 9 March 2022, by a very small margin against Democratic Party candidate Lee Jae Myung. He became president on 10 May 2022. During his presidency, Yoon's foreign policy was seen as tougher on North Korea and friendlier towards Japan. His party lost many seats in the 2024 parliamentary elections, which weakened his power.

On 3 December 2024, Yoon declared martial law, which means the military takes control. He accused lawmakers of supporting North Korea. However, the National Assembly quickly voted to cancel the martial law, and Yoon lifted it hours later. Following this, lawmakers began the process to remove him from office. He was suspended from his presidential powers on 14 December 2024, and officially removed from office by the Constitutional Court on 4 April 2025.

Early Life and Education

Yoon was born in Seoul in 1960. His father, Yoon Ki-jung, was an economics professor. His mother, Choi Seong-ja, was a university lecturer.

Yoon went to Daegwang Elementary School and Joongrang Middle School. He then transferred to Chungam Middle School and graduated from Chungam High School. He studied law at Seoul National University, earning his degrees in 1983 and 1988. After a major event in Gwangju in 1980, Yoon and his friends held a pretend trial. He acted as a prosecutor and called for a harsh punishment for the president at the time. Fearing trouble, Yoon went to Gangwon Province for a while.

Yoon was excused from military service in 1982 because of an eyesight problem. He later said this problem also prevented him from getting a driver's license. He passed the bar exam to become a lawyer in 1991, after trying for nine years.

Friendship with Kim Yong-hyun

Yoon met Kim Yong-hyun, who later became the Minister of National Defense, in 1977 at Chungam High School. They reconnected years later through an alumni group. They became close friends in 2020 when Yoon was suspended from his prosecutor duties. Kim encouraged Yoon to think about running for president. He also suggested forming a group of Chungam High School graduates, which became known as the "Chungam faction."

Career as a Prosecutor

Early Work

Yoon started his career at the Daegu Public Prosecutor's Office in 1994. He worked in special departments that investigated cases of corruption. In 1999, he arrested a high-ranking official for corruption, even though some government officials disagreed.

In 2002, Yoon briefly worked as a lawyer but found it wasn't for him. He returned to being a prosecutor. He investigated important figures linked to former President Roh Moo-hyun. In 2006, he investigated Chung Mong-koo for a case involving company money. In 2008, he worked on a team that looked into a stock manipulation case related to President Lee Myung-bak.

In 2013, Yoon led a team investigating the National Intelligence Service (NIS) for interfering in the 2012 election. He wanted to charge the former head of the NIS. He also accused the Justice Minister of trying to influence his investigation. Because of this, he was moved to different prosecutor offices.

Yoon later became the head of investigations for a special team. This team looked into the 2016 Choi Soon-sil scandal, which involved Choi, Samsung executive Lee Jae-yong, and then-President Park Geun-hye. This investigation led to the president's removal from office in December 2016.

On 19 May 2017, the new president, Moon Jae-in, appointed Yoon as chief of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office. Under his leadership, this office charged two former presidents, three former NIS chiefs, and many other officials and business leaders. Yoon also led an investigation into accounting problems at Samsung.

Prosecutor General

On 17 June 2019, Yoon was nominated to be the Prosecutor General. He was officially appointed on 16 July and started his term nine days later. President Moon told him to be fair and investigate all corruption cases strictly.

As Prosecutor General, Yoon's office investigated Minister of Justice Cho Kuk, who was involved in several issues. This decision was supported by the opposition but criticized by the ruling party.

After Choo Mi-ae became the new Minister of Justice, she took action against some prosecutors close to Yoon. She said it was because Yoon did not submit a plan for his department. However, many saw this as a response to the investigation of Cho Kuk.

In April 2020, some lawmakers criticized Yoon and asked him to resign. This happened after his office started investigating election law violations involving politicians from both the ruling and opposition parties.

Suspension and Return to Duty

On 24 November 2020, Minister of Justice Choo Mi-ae suspended Yoon from his job. She said he had violated ethics rules and misused his power. Yoon challenged this decision in court, and on 1 December, the court temporarily stopped the suspension. On 16 December, the Ministry of Justice gave Yoon a two-month suspension. However, on 24 December, another court decision overturned the suspension, saying the process was unfair.

2022 Presidential Election

Yoon was seen as a possible presidential candidate for the 2022 election since early 2020. In a poll in January 2021, he was the most favored candidate.

On 4 March 2021, Yoon resigned as Prosecutor General, and President Moon accepted his resignation. On 29 June 2021, Yoon officially announced he would run for president. On 12 July, he registered as an independent candidate.

On 30 July 2021, Yoon officially joined the People Power Party (PPP), the main opposition party. Before this, he was an independent politician, but most of his support came from conservative voters.

During the primary election, Yoon faced criticism for some of his statements. In July, he suggested a very long work week, which was different from the government's policy. He also talked about changing food safety rules. In August, he said that the recent feminist movement was a reason for South Korea's low birth rates.

In September 2021, a news website reported that Yoon had allegedly asked a prosecutor to file politically motivated complaints against rival politicians before the 2020 elections. Yoon denied these claims.

During primary debates, Yoon was seen with a Chinese character for "king" drawn on his palm. His opponents criticized this, saying it was a superstitious practice. Yoon explained that a supporter drew it to encourage him.

In October 2021, Yoon made comments about former military leader Chun Doo-hwan that caused controversy. He later apologized for these remarks.

On 5 November 2021, Yoon won the People Power Party's nomination for the 2022 presidential election. He won 47.85% of the votes.

On 7 November 2021, Yoon said that if he became president, he would pardon former presidents Lee Myung-bak and Park Geun-hye. (Park Geun-hye was later pardoned by President Moon Jae-in in December of that year).

Yoon narrowly won the 2022 presidential election on 9 March 2022. He received 48.56% of the votes, while Lee Jae Myung received 47.83%. This was the closest presidential election in South Korean history.

Presidency (2022–2025)

Moving the Presidential Office

On 20 March 2022, Yoon announced that he would move the presidential office to the Ministry of National Defense building in Yongsan District, Seoul. The former presidential office, the Blue House, was opened to the public as a park on 10 May 2022.

Economic Plans

In 2023, Yoon tried to increase South Korea's maximum weekly working hours. However, many people, especially young people, disagreed, so he asked government agencies to rethink the plan.

The minimum wage for 2025 was set at 10,030 won per hour. Some labor groups protested, saying the increase was too small.

Energy Plans

After the Fukushima nuclear accident in Japan, former President Moon Jae-in decided to slowly stop using nuclear power. However, President Yoon Suk Yeol changed this policy in 2023. He decided to restart building nuclear reactors and increase nuclear power's share of electricity to 34.6% by 2036. Yoon also promised to reduce carbon emissions by 40% from 2018 levels by 2030.

On 17 July 2024, a South Korean company won a contract to build two new nuclear units in the Czech Republic. Yoon said this project would help South Korea export more nuclear technology.

Gender Equality Plans

Yoon has taken actions that some see as opposing feminism, especially to appeal to young men. He has stated that he believes structural sexism no longer exists in South Korea. He promised to close the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family. He said his government would focus on individual issues rather than gender as a group issue.

In May 2022, there were only a few women in high-level government positions. This led to criticism about a lack of women in government. Yoon then appointed more women to his cabinet, increasing the number of female ministers.

2022 Police Bureau Idea

In July 2022, Yoon suggested creating a "police bureau" to give the government more control over the police. Some police officers protested, saying this would make the police less neutral.

Yoon criticized the protests, calling them a "serious breach" of police rules. His office also said police officers could be punished.

2022 Seoul Crowd Crush

On 29 October 2022, at least 158 people died in a crowd crush during Halloween celebrations in Seoul's Itaewon district. Yoon declared a period of national mourning.

Medical Situation

On 6 February 2024, Yoon announced that the number of medical students would increase from 2025. Doctors and medical students protested this decision, saying it would not solve problems in rural areas.

Yoon gave a speech to explain his decision. The government called the doctors' protests "illegal actions" and declared a national healthcare crisis.

2024 Parliamentary Elections

The opposition party won a large victory in the 2024 parliamentary elections. This made Yoon's political position weaker. His party won 108 seats, while the main opposition party won 175 seats.

After the defeat, the leader of Yoon's party resigned, and several other government officials also offered to resign. Yoon did not attend the opening of the new National Assembly session on 2 September 2024. This was the first time a South Korean president had not attended since 1988. His office said he did not attend because the assembly was making too many demands for investigations and removals from office.

Foreign Policy

In December 2022, Yoon's government announced its Indo-Pacific Strategy. This plan aims to improve cooperation with countries in the Indo-Pacific region in areas like economy and security. On 25 July 2023, Yoon visited Ukraine after attending the NATO summit in Lithuania and Poland. He visited cities near the capital, Kyiv. He also hosted summits with leaders from Pacific Islands and African countries.

Yoon has also visited the United States and considered sending weapons to Ukraine after the invasion by Russia.

In October 2023, Yoon spoke out against the attack on Israel. He worked to strengthen ties with Saudi Arabia and supported South Korean companies joining Saudi Arabia's smart city project. In February 2024, South Korea and Saudi Arabia signed an agreement to work together more on defense.

By December 2023, Yoon had visited twenty-six countries during his presidency. He met with leaders at major international meetings like the NATO Summit Madrid 2022, APEC Summit, G20, and G7.

G7

South Korea is not a member of the G7, but it is being considered as a possible future member. At the G7 summit in May 2023, Yoon met with leaders of the Quad nations. He spoke about addressing regional challenges and providing help for development. He also stressed South Korea's commitment to international law and protecting Ukraine's freedom.

United States

During U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to South Korea on 4 August 2022, Yoon did not meet with her, saying he was on vacation.

In April 2023, Yoon and his wife were invited to the U.S. They arrived in Washington, D.C. to celebrate 70 years of alliance between South Korea and the United States. In a speech to the U.S. Congress, Yoon said the relationship was "stronger than ever."

On 7 November 2024, Yoon had a phone call with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump. They discussed working together with the U.S. and Japan, and the situation with North Korea and Ukraine.

Japan

Yoon has been criticized by some in South Korea for his stance on historical issues with Japan. These issues include the topic of forced labor during World War II. Yoon's government has suggested that South Korean companies make voluntary donations to victims, rather than seeking direct compensation from the Japanese government or companies. Many victims and opposition parties have disagreed with this approach.

Yoon's comments on 1 March 2023, a national holiday celebrating Korean independence from Japan, also caused controversy. He said Korea suffered because it was not ready for historical changes. Critics called his remarks "pro-Japanese."

On 16 March 2023, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida met with Yoon in Tokyo to discuss various issues. On 7 May 2023, Kishida visited Seoul. Yoon said historical issues needed to be "completely settled." Kishida expressed sympathy to Korean victims.

Yoon and Kishida met with U.S. President Biden on 18 August 2023. They announced a plan to work together to address challenges from China, North Korea, and Russia.

Ukraine

In an interview on 19 April 2023, Yoon suggested that South Korea might provide military aid to Ukraine if there were serious violations of war laws. He compared Ukraine's struggle to the Korean War, when the international community supported South Korea.

In July 2023, Yoon visited Ukraine. In August 2023, he announced that South Korea would provide $394 million in financial aid to Ukraine for 2024, a large increase from 2023.

On 7 November 2024, Yoon again suggested South Korea could provide weapons to Ukraine. However, many South Koreans were against sending direct arms supplies.

Africa

In November 2022, President Yoon said that "Africa is a land of new opportunity," showing his interest in working more closely with African countries. He held meetings with leaders from the Central African Republic, Nigeria, Gabon, and Kenya in 2022. Yoon also announced that he would invite African leaders to a special summit in South Korea in 2024 to boost cooperation.

North Korea

In November 2023, Yoon's government suspended South Korea's participation in a pact aimed at lowering tensions with North Korea. This happened after North Korea launched a satellite into space.

Since Yoon became president in 2022, his administration has taken a firm stance against North Korea. This has led to concerns that the Korean Peninsula faces a serious risk of conflict.

Controversies

MBC Lawsuit

The People Power Party sued four executives of the broadcaster Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) for defamation. This happened after MBC reported that Yoon had made a controversial comment about the U.S. Congress. Yoon's office denied the report, saying he was talking about South Korea's own parliament. The incident led to discussions about press freedom in South Korea.

Research Budget Cuts

Yoon's government decided to cut South Korea's research and development (R&D) budget by 15% for 2024. This caused concern among researchers who worried it might harm South Korea's global technology standing.

A student protested the budget cut during a graduation ceremony where Yoon was speaking. The student was quickly removed by security.

Soldier Deaths

Yoon was accused of protecting senior military officials regarding the deaths of soldiers in 2023 and 2024. He used his power to block bills that sought to investigate these matters. This led to more disagreements with the opposition in parliament.

First Lady's Issues

Yoon vetoed a bill that would have allowed a special prosecutor to investigate allegations related to himself and his wife, Kim Keon-hee. He received criticism for this decision.

Queen Elizabeth II's Funeral

While in London for the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II, Yoon's opponents criticized him for missing the chance to view the Queen's coffin. He said traffic was the reason.

Media Suppression Concerns

In 2024, a Swedish institute reported that South Korea's democracy index was dropping under Yoon's government. They said his actions, including those against gender equality, were causing a decline.

South Korea's ranking in the World Press Freedom Index also dropped. This was linked to Yoon's government using sanctions against media outlets and journalists who criticized the government. There were reports of police searching journalists' homes and banning some media from accessing Yoon.

Critics also claimed that the police, under Yoon, were quick to investigate labor unions and media but slow to investigate issues related to Yoon or his wife. In November 2024, critics alleged that police were used to stop anti-government protests.

The number of government officials not attending National Assembly sessions increased under Yoon. He was also heavily criticized for using his veto power on bills very often.

In November 2024, over 3,000 professors and researchers signed a statement asking Yoon to resign. On 28 November, 1,466 South Korean Catholic priests called for Yoon to be removed from office.

Declaration of Martial Law

On 3 December 2024, Yoon declared martial law, saying he wanted to "rebuild a democratic and free Korea." He accused other politicians of being "communist." He and Minister of National Defense Kim Yong-hyun were accused of ordering drones to fly into North Korea to cause a conflict, without telling other defense officials. The National Assembly quickly voted to cancel the martial law, with a vote of 190-0. Yoon lifted the declaration hours later.

On 7 December 2024, Yoon apologized for declaring martial law in a televised speech. He said it was a "desperate decision" and promised it would not happen again. On 8 December, Kim Yong-hyun was arrested for his role in the martial law order.

Investigations later revealed that President Yoon had ordered military commanders to break into the National Assembly to remove lawmakers. He reportedly said, "break down the doors, even if it means shooting" and "even if martial law is lifted, I just have to declare martial law two or three times, so keep going."

On 9 December 2024, the Ministry of Justice banned Yoon from traveling abroad as part of an investigation into his martial law declaration. While presidents usually have immunity from prosecution, this does not apply to accusations of rebellion.

On 11 December 2024, police tried to search Yoon's office as part of the investigation, but they were blocked by presidential security.

Even though he was suspended from his duties, Yoon received a salary increase.

Calls for Resignation

On 4 December 2024, after martial law ended, many of Yoon's staff resigned. On 8 December, the leader of Yoon's party said Yoon might resign by February 2025. However, on 12 December, Yoon stated he would "fight to the end," saying the martial law declaration was a proper "act of governance."

Removal from Office

On 4 December, about 190 lawmakers from opposition parties started the process to remove Yoon from office. Police also began an investigation into him.

On 7 December, Yoon apologized for declaring martial law. However, the vote to remove him from office failed because not enough lawmakers attended.

On 9 December, the Ministry of Justice legally stopped Yoon from traveling abroad.

On 14 December, a second attempt to remove him from office passed in the National Assembly. 204 lawmakers voted in favor, including 12 from his own party. His powers were suspended, and Prime Minister Han Duck-soo temporarily took over. On 27 December, Han Duck-soo was also removed from office on charges that included hindering investigations against Yoon.

On 7 January 2025, it was reported that an office investigating high-ranking officials was looking into Yoon for trying to create a conflict with North Korea using a drone.

On 14 January 2025, the removal proceedings against Yoon were briefly stopped because he did not attend the court session. Hearings continued until 25 February 2025. Yoon attended for the first time on 21 January and denied ordering soldiers to interfere with the National Assembly. On 25 February, he apologized on the last day of the trial but continued to defend his actions.

Arrest and Release

Yoon was called for questioning three times in December 2024 about his martial law declaration, but he did not attend.

On 31 December, a court issued an arrest warrant for Yoon, accusing him of misusing power and planning the martial law declaration. Yoon stayed in the presidential residence, where his supporters gathered. On 3 January 2025, authorities tried to carry out the warrant but were blocked by security. The warrant was extended on 7 January.

On 15 January, Yoon was arrested by the police. This made him the first sitting South Korean president to be arrested. He was held at the Seoul Detention Center. On 18 January, a formal arrest warrant was issued, extending his detention. On 26 January, Yoon was charged with being the "ringleader of an insurrection." On 7 March, a court canceled Yoon's arrest warrant, and he was released the next day.

On 10 July 2025, Yoon was arrested again on new charges.

Removal from Office

On 4 April 2025, the Constitutional Court unanimously decided to uphold Yoon's removal from office. This made him the shortest-serving president in South Korea's democratic history. A new election for president was required within 60 days.

The Court found that Yoon had violated several constitutional rules during his martial law declaration. These included not meeting the requirements for martial law, violating lawmakers' rights, and interfering with the military's neutrality and the judiciary's independence.

A week after the ruling, on 11 April, Yoon and his wife moved out of the official residence and returned to their home in Gangnam, Seoul.

Public Opinion

Less than three months into his presidency, Yoon's approval rating dropped below 30%. This was due to rising prices, a controversial education plan, issues with appointments, and conflicts within his party. His popularity fell further to 19% in August 2022. In December, his approval rating rose back above 40%. By April 2023, it dropped again to 30% because many people disagreed with his policy towards Japan. In May 2024, Yoon's approval rating was at its lowest, 21%, mainly due to his economic and foreign policies and lack of communication.

In June and July 2024, over a million people signed a petition asking for Yoon to be removed from office.

After his attempt to declare martial law, a poll from 3 to 5 December 2024 found that Yoon's approval rating had fallen to 13%. A week later, it dropped further to 11%.

After Presidency (2025–Present)

On 17 May 2025, Yoon left the People Power Party. On 21 May, he made his first public appearance not related to his legal cases, attending a documentary premiere in Seoul.

Trial for Rebellion

The trial for Yoon on rebellion charges began on 14 April 2025. Yoon denied the charges, saying his attempt to impose martial law was not an act of rebellion. On 23 May, police seized Yoon's phones as part of their investigations.

On 6 July 2025, prosecutors asked to detain Yoon again after questioning him about his martial law declaration. He was formally arrested again on 10 July 2025.

Other Investigations

On 30 April 2025, prosecutors searched Yoon's private home as part of an investigation into allegations involving his wife. This was the first time a former South Korean president's home was searched for a corruption-related issue. On 1 May, Yoon was charged with misusing power.

Political Views

Yoon describes himself as "conservative." Some political experts have called his views "libertarianism" or "social conservative." His critical stance on feminism and his firm approach to the opposition and media have led some to compare his policies to "K-Trumpism" or "far-right," which he and his supporters deny.

Economy

Yoon is against too much government involvement in the economy. He is generally seen as supportive of businesses and careful with government spending. He has said that economist Milton Friedman's book Free to Choose greatly influenced his belief in economic freedom. Yoon has aimed to reduce South Korea's reliance on China and improve the strength of its supply chains.

Military

Yoon has openly supported the idea of South Korea having its own nuclear weapons. Some have called this policy "nuclear populism."

On 22 September 2021, Yoon said he would ask the United States to bring back tactical nuclear weapons to South Korea if there was a threat from North Korea. The U.S. had removed these weapons in the early 1990s. A U.S. official rejected Yoon's idea, saying it was against U.S. policy.

On 12 November 2021, Yoon said he would be open to more U.S. missile defense systems in South Korea.

Election History

2022 South Korean presidential election—People Power Party primary

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	People Power	Yoon Suk Yeol	347,963	47.85
	People Power	Hong Jun-pyo	301,786	41.50
	People Power	Yoo Seong-min	54,304	7.47
	People Power	Won Hee-ryong	23,085	3.17
Total votes			727,138	100.00

2022 South Korean presidential election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	People Power	Yoon Suk Yeol	16,394,815	48.56
	Democratic Party (South Korea, 2015)	Lee Jae Myung	16,147,738	47.83
	Justice	Sim Sang-jung	803,358	2.38
	National Revolutionary	Huh Kyung-young	281,481	0.83
	Progressive	Kim Jae-yeon	37,366	0.11
	Our Republican	Cho Won-jin	25,972	0.08
	Basic Income	Oh Jun-ho	18,105	0.05
	Korean Wave Alliance	Kim Min-chan	17,305	0.05
	Korean Unification	Lee Gyeong-hee	11,708	0.03
	Labor	Lee Baek-yun	9,176	0.03
	New Liberal Democratic Union	Kim Gyeong-jae	8,317	0.02
	Saenuri	Ok Un-ho	4,970	0.01
Total votes			33,760,311	100.00
	People Power gain from Democratic Party (South Korea, 2015)

Personal Life

Yoon has been married to Kim Keon-hee since 2012. His wife has said she prefers to be called "president's spouse" instead of "first lady."

Kim is the president of Covana Contents, a company that organizes art exhibitions. She faced an investigation and apologized for issues related to her resume.

Yoon is a Catholic and was baptized with the name "Ambrose". Yoon and his wife were accused of having a close relationship with Korean shamans.

Yoon is known for having many pets, including dogs and cats. During his presidency, a law was passed in 2024 that made the trade and eating of dog meat illegal in South Korea.

Honors

•  Poland: Knight of the Order of the White Eagle (13 July 2023)
•  Italy: Knight Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic (7 October 2023)
•  United States: Profile in Courage Award (29 October 2023)

See also

In Spanish: Yoon Suk-yeol para niños